Name this molecule: C3H7COOH.

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Multiple Choice

Name this molecule: C3H7COOH.

Explanation:
Naming this type of compound hinges on counting the carbons in the longest chain that includes the carboxyl group. The COOH carbon is part of the chain, and the other end comes from the C3H7 group, which adds three more carbons. Altogether there are four carbons in the main chain, so the correct name is butanoic acid. Think of it as CH3-CH2-CH2-COOH in a simple sketch: three carbons in the alkyl part plus the carboxyl carbon. Ethanoic acid would have only two carbons in the chain, propanoic would have three, and pentanoic would have five, so they don’t match this four-carbon chain.

Naming this type of compound hinges on counting the carbons in the longest chain that includes the carboxyl group. The COOH carbon is part of the chain, and the other end comes from the C3H7 group, which adds three more carbons. Altogether there are four carbons in the main chain, so the correct name is butanoic acid.

Think of it as CH3-CH2-CH2-COOH in a simple sketch: three carbons in the alkyl part plus the carboxyl carbon. Ethanoic acid would have only two carbons in the chain, propanoic would have three, and pentanoic would have five, so they don’t match this four-carbon chain.

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